Signal staff holding finger



J. P. DALTON 2,438,314

SIGNAL STAFF HOLDING FINGERY Filed Sept. 20, 1945 March 23, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l l hl u IH I' HI HHIH is Q MAIL BY W 5/5 A T TOE/VE 4 March 23, 1948. v J. P. DALTON 2,438,314

SI G'NAL STAFF HOLDING FINGER I Filed Sept.=20, 1945 2 Sheetsr-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /05E Q 04L TOA/ H/s ATTO'EA/EY Patented Mar. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES N T DFFICE SIGNAL STAFF HOLDING FINGER Joseph P. Dalton, Berlin, N. J.

Application September 20, 1945, Serial No. 617,569

8' Claims. I

This invention relates to-a signalstaff holdin finger adapted to be mounted upon a door memberof a container suchas a mail box to cooperate with a signal staff in holding the signal staff in position for release upon the opening of the container. Such a signal staff is shown in my application for patent entitled Indicating device for mail box, filed on August 1, 1945, and given Serial Number 608,180.

A broad object of my invention is the provision of a signal staff holding finger which may be attached to the door of a mail box very simply without the use. of any tools other than those whichare commonly found in the usual household tool box.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a holding finger which may be attached to the door of the mail box wi'lhout defacing, damaging or changing in any way the dimensions; contour or character of the mail box :loor.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a holding finger which will be economical to manufacture and attach and yet willbe efficient in continuing to perform its intended functions with an appropriate signal stafi.

Other objects will appear hereinafter as this invention proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1- is a perspective view ofa conventional mail box withmy signal staff and holding finger secured thereto in operative position.

Figure 2 is a view; substantially inelevation, of my holding finger.

Figure 3' is a side elevational view of a modified' form of finger attached, to a mail box.

Figure {l is a front elevational view of the modified form shown in Figure 3'.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the modified form of holding finger shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Referring now to Figure 1, the mail box M is provided with a maildoor flap F-which is hingedly'connected to mailbox door D. A signal carrying staff S is-pivotallyconnected to a bracket B which is secured to the platform upon which the mail boxismounted and upon: releasefor upward spring-actuated movement, thestaff: S will carry the signal C into. position to indicate that the mail box door has been opened for the reception of incoming mail,

Referring now to Figure 2; my sigmal staff holding finger comprises a supporting bar 5 of sufiicientl y great longitudinal dimension to span the width of the pivoted mail fiap F and carries an attaching tab 1- adjacent one end. This tab T is formed integrally with the supporting barit and lies in a planeparallel thereto so as to define a U-shaped hook with a holding groove between the inner face oftabl and the inner face of bar 6.

Adjacent the opposite end of bar 6, a holding tab 8 is cut from the plane of supporting bar 6 and bent from the plane in the same direction in which tab 1 extends. However, tab 8 is bent to define an angle of substantially with the supporting bar 6 and in Figure 1 it can be seen that after the tab 1 is passed beneath the flap F, the holding tab 8 is bent inwardly toward the bar 6 and tab 1 to hold the'barfi' firmly attached to the flap F and between the. two rows of embossed let- 7 ters U. S. and Mail, respectively.

Adjacent the end of supporting bar 6, opposite the end which carries tab 1' a holding finger 9, having a downwardly inclined cam surface It on its upper edge and an upwardly inclined cam surface H on its. lower edge, is provided. The cam surface H isof such shape as to define a notch for a purpose later to be described.

As seen in Figure 1, the outer or free end of staff S is pressed downwardly from elevated position untilv its lower edge strikes the cam surface l0 and directs the staff outwardly to the left as shown in this figure. Further downward. pressure permits the natural resiliency of the staff S to restore the staff to close proximity to the mail box and a release thereof permits the spring tension upon the staff to force" it upwardly against the cam surface ll. Due to the shape of cam surface II, the upward spring pressure upon staff S will cause the staff to be' brought into even closer proximity to the mail box and the staff will be held securely in place. When the lower edge of flap F is raised, the finger to will be moved outwardly along the upper edge of staff S until it clears the end thereof to permit the signal to be elevated.

Referring now to- Figure 5,, a modified form of signal staff holding finger'is formed from a piece of flat metal and comprises a supporting bar 12 which carries adjacent its lower end; a holding tab l3' which is integrally connected to the supporting bar l2 and lies substantially parallel to the plane of supporting bar I12. The tab lt'a'nd bar I2 define a U-shaped hook providing a retaining groove between them,

Adjacent the end of the supporting bar l2, opposite the tab E3, is an arm M protruding in substantially the plane of bar I 2. This arm M carries an attaching tab l5 which lies ina plane substantially transverse to the plane of arm I4 so as to provide a U-shaped hook with a retaining [3 is a curved retaining tab l9 which extends substantially transversely to the plane of bar l2.

As can be seen from the view shown in Figure 3, the mail box U is provided with a door L having oppositely disposed and rearwardly extending pivot ears E by which the door L is hingedly connected as at H.

When it is desired to attach the modified form of holding finger shown in Figure 5 to the box of the type shown in Figure 3, the door L is swung outwardly upon its hingedconnection, the holding tab I3 is passed under the lower edge of the door, the curved tab I9 is pressed against the curved front edge of the door and the tab I5 is bent around the rear edge of the door toward the bar It to fasten the supporting bar l2 and connected parts to the door. Due to the fact that the lower edge of the arm l4 rests upon the ear E, the supporting bar and finger cannot slide downwardly from correct position. The operat on of a signal carrying staff, in connection with the finger I 6, is similarto the operation described above in connection with the staff and finger9,

While I have shown and described my preferred form of construction, I do not wish to be limited to' the precise details shown and described herein but wish to avail myself of all variations coming properly within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is: 4 a

1. A device of the character described and for the opposite end of said bar bent to form a clip, and another clip positioned intermediate of the ends of the bar adapted to co-operate' with the clip at the end of the bar to provide mounting means for the bar.

5. A lock bolt for use as an attachment to mail box doors and the like, said doors being hinged to mail boxes having signal-bearing means associated therewith comprising a bar having at one end thereof a clamping element, a

finger extending from the other end of the bar and having upper and lower cam surfaces formed thereon, said cam surfaces being coactable with cam surfaces on the signal-bearing means and a second clamping element formed on the bar, said clamping elements being coactable to embrace a portion'of a mail box door therebetween.

an article of manufacture, a lock bolt for use as an attachment to mail box doors andthe like, said doors being hinged to mail boxes having signal-bearing means associatedthere with comprising a bar having at one end thereof a clamping element, an arcuately shaped finger extending from the other end of the bar and having upper and lower cam surfaces, saidcam surfaces being coactable with cam surfaces on the signal-bearing means and a second and bendable clamping element f-ormed on the bar and adjacent to the finger, said clamping elements being coactable to embrace a portion of a. mail box door therebetween.

7. As an article of manufacture, .a lock bolt for use as an attachment to mail box doors and the like, said doors being hinged to mail boxes having signal-bearing means associated there with comprising a bar having at one end thereof a clamping element, a tab formed on and adjacent to theother end of the bar, a finger formed on the bar and projecting perpendicularly to the use on mail box doors and the like, comprising a supporting bar, spaced attaching tabs carried by said supporting bar and arranged to define oppositely opening retention grooves, saidsup porting bar having a holding finger provided with a downwardly inclined cam surface on its upper edge, and an upwardly inclinedcam surface on its lower edge} 4 .2. A device of the character described and'for use .on mail box doorsand the like, comprising a supporting bar, spaced attaching tabs carried by said supporting bar and arranged to define oppositely openingretention grooves, and a holding finger carried by said supporting bar said holding finger being provided with a downwardly inclined cam surface on its upper edge and an upwardly inclined cam surface on its lower edge and defining a retaining notch.

3. A lock bolt for hinged door flaps and the like comprising a bar with one end bent to form a U-shaped clip and with the upper and lower edges of the other end formed to define'oam surfaces, and a projection extending from said bar,'said projection being spaced a predetermined distance from and adapted to co-operate with theclip at the end of the bar to secure the bar on the hinged'fiap of the door.

4; A look bolt for. use on mailbox doors and the likeQsaid bolt comprising a flat bar with the edge of one end curved to form a tongue, and the opposite edge of the tongue curvedinward to form a recess in the opposite side of the tongue,

longitudinal axis of the said bar, said finger being coactable with said-signal-bearing means an arm protruding from the bar, and a clamping element formed on said arm, said clamping elements and said tab coacting to embrace a portion of a mail box door therebetween. V

8. As an article of manufacture, a lock bolt for use as an attachment to mail box doors and the like, said doors being hinged to mail boxes 7 having signal-bearing means associated therewith comprising a bar having a clamping element integrally formed thereon, a finger extending from an end of the bar, said finger having upper and lower edges configured to provide cam surfaces, said cam surfaces being coactable with cam surfaces on the signal-bearing means a bendable clamping ta-b formed on the bar and transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof, said tab being coactable with the clamping element to clampingly engage a portion of a mail box door therebetween.

JOSEPH P. DALTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

